BM-27 Uragan

The BM-27 Uragan is capable of launching 220 mm rockets from 16 launch tubes mounted on the rear of a ZIL-135 8×8 chassis.[5] This vehicle is extremely similar to that used in the FROG-7 free flight rocket system. It has two gasoline engines that power its 20 tonnes to a maximum speed of 65 kilometers per hour. One engine drives the four wheels on the left of the truck, while the other engine drives the four wheels on the right. The ZIL-135 has eight wheel drive, but only the front and rear axles are used for steering. It has a maximum cruising range of 500 kilometers.

The cab of the ZIL-135 is NBC protected, allowing the rockets to be fired without exposing the crew to possible contaminants.[6][7] The six-man crew[5] can emplace or displace the system in three minutes.

Before firing, stabilizing jacks must be lowered and the blast shield raised to protect the cab and its occupants. Indirect fire aiming is achieved with the use of a PG-1 panoramic telescope. Although there are no night vision sights, the driver of the launch vehicle is equipped with a night vision device.

The BM-27 can use HE-FRAG, chemical, explosive or scatterable mine (PTM-3 or PFM-1) submunition equipped rockets, all of which are detonated by electric timing fuses. (However, chemical munitions have been officially off service in Russia since 2017.) Each rocket weighs 280.4 kilograms. The warheads weigh between 90 and 100 kilograms, depending on type. A full salvo of 16 rockets can be fired in 20 seconds and can engage targets within a range of 35 kilometers.

Because of the size of the warhead, the range of the rocket and the speed that a salvo can be delivered, the BM-27 is very effective at mine laying. Each 220 mm rocket can scatter 312 anti-personnel PFM-1 mines. Minefields can be laid behind a retreating enemy or even be used to trap an enemy by encircling them with mines. Tactics such as this were often used by the Soviets in Afghanistan.

Once the rockets have been fired, 9T452 (another ZIL-135 based vehicle) is used to assist in reloading. It carries additional rockets and a crane to transfer the rockets from the reload vehicle to the launcher.[5] The entire reloading procedure takes around 20 minutes.

The 9P140 missile launcher vehicle as a monument to A.N. Ganichev near Splav State Research and Production Enterprise, Tula city

The 9T452 transporter-loader vehicle at the St Petersburg Artillery Museum

• 9P140 Uragan: Standard variant on ZIL-135 truck.

•  Afghanistan[1] – 18 (not functional)
•  Armenia – some BM-27 ordered in 2011
•  Angola
•  Belarus – 72 as of 2016[17]
•  Eritrea – 9 as of 2021[18]
•  Guinea – 3 as of 2021[19]
•  Georgia – Saw limited usage during Abkhazia War, out of service.
•  Iran – Unknown[20]
•  Kazakhstan – 180 as of 2016[21]
•  Kyrgyzstan – 6 as of 2016[22]
•  Moldova – 11 as of 2016[23]
•  Myanmar – unknown
•  North Korea – unknown
•  Russia – 200 in service and 700 in storage as of 2016[24]
•  Syria[25]
•  Tajikistan[1] – 12
•  Tanzania[1] – 48
•  Turkmenistan – 60 as of 2016[26]
•  Ukraine – 70 as of 2016[27]
•  Uzbekistan – 48 as of 2016[28]
•  Yemen[1] – Over 50. Seen intensive action in the ongoing civil war.

• Astros II MLRS
• BM-24 240 mm multiple rocket launcher
• BM-30 Smerch 300 mm heavy multiple rocket launcher
• Fajr-5 333 mm rocket launcher
• Falaq-2 Unguided rocket launcher
• M142 HIMARS
• Katyusha BM-13 multiple rocket launchers of World War II
• MAR-290 heavy multiple rocket launcher
• MLRS M270 227 mm multiple rocket launcher
• Pinaka multi barrel rocket launcher 122 mm / 214 mm multiple rocket launcher
• TOROS 230–260 mm rocket launcher
• 9A52-4 Tornado 122 mm / 220 mm / 300 mm universal multiple launch rocket system

• Prenatt, Jamie; Hook, Adam (2016). Katyusha – Russian Multiple Rocket Launchers 1941–Present. New Vanguard 235. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4728-1086-1.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2016). The Military Balance 2016. Vol. 116. Routlegde. ISBN 9781857438352.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2021). The Military Balance 2021. Vol. 121. Routledge. ISBN 9781032012278.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to BM-27 Uragan.

• Splav State Research and Production Enterprise
• Photo gallery at Armyrecognition.com (in French)